Cross Country #2 : Night flight to Chattanooga

5/28/2009

For my night cross country, we flew back to my hometown, Chattanooga, TN. Night cross country is very different. Lakes are not as good, unless its a very clear night. Better are well lit cities and busy roads. Airports are suprisingly hard to see at night because their lights blend into the surrounding lights.

We got there around 10:00, making the trip just over an hour from LZU. Dinner at Hooters on Lee Hwy. I had a chicken sandwich of marginal quality. Back to LZU. Arrived around 1.

Fumbling around with the maps and flight plan and everything else is a real pain at night. In 10 years, they might not even make student pilots do this anymore. I look at it as part of an overall skillset. I would never choose to navigate visually somewhere unfamiliar at night. However in the very rare event of (1) a total electrical systems failure AND (2) portable battery-powered GPS failure .. it would be good to have had some night VFR navigation.

1 more assisted cross country flight and then a solo cross country. And finally coming into view on the horizon, the FAA exam. Chris was tossing around August as a timeframe for completing the private pilot license.

Cross Country #1 : Clemson

5/10/2009

Cross country #1 is complete. We flew out to Clemson, SC. Navigation without GPS is during the day is all about lakes and roads. Inevitably, I drifted off course a bit but recognized it and got back on course with the help of my instructor. Lakes are a great landmark to use during daytime navigation.

We had lunch at mellow mushroom, downtown Clemson. We used GPS for the return trip. I love me some GPS. Flying out somewhere, taking the courtesy vehicle into town, grabbing a bite to eat, wishing you could have a beer but not having, and flying back. That's what aviation is all about. Good times.